Ike Madu: 5 Irrevocable Golf Etiquette For Beginners

Golf etiquette isn't hard to follow but at times, they are missed out by golfers. I, Ike Madu, have listed some of them.

• Be Mindful of Your Turn

The rule of thumb is to give the player who scored the highest on the previous hole the privilege to hit first. The second best scorer will be second, and so on. Should there be a tie on the scores, the tie breaker would be the scores from two holes back. But on some occasions, it has also become habitual for players to play “ready golf” instead of the conventional way to do it.

• Give Signal When Your Ball Heads Toward Someone

Yell “fore!” when you hit it and it goes toward someone or a group of players. This is not just for etiquette. This is also for safety.

• Never Spend Too Much Time Searching For Your Ball

When you are a beginner, you will most likely hit shots going into the woods or bushes. Although you are allowed up to five minutes to look for your ball before declaring it lost, spending a minute or two searching for it is enough. This is for the benefit of those golfers after you.

• Stay Away From A Player Who Is Putting or Hitting

Give yourself at least 10 feet away from the player who is taking his turn in hitting/putting. Firstly, this is for your safety, obviously. Secondly, this is for the player to concentrate on the ball rather than being anxious about hitting you instead.

• Be A Good Sport

Never scream profanity or throw clubs (and tantrums) when your swing isn't as good as you have wanted it to be. Respect your partners and other players.

As a beginner, it may be hard to remember all of these do's and don'ts. But if you would always keep it in mind that golf is a game of respect and sportsmanship, you will never go wrong.